Tube container for milk bottle caps



NOV. 15, 1938 I c R BELK' 2,136,962

TUBE CONTAINER FOR MILK BOTTLE GAPS F iled Feb. 5,. 1937 Charles .2?- 55112 51:

Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles R. Belk,

Sn, Bessemer, Ala.

Application February 5, 1937, Serial No. 124,329

1 Claim.

This invention relates to cardboard tubes designed for use in machines for applying cardboard caps to milk bottles.

Where the caps to be fed in a capping machine are circular disks, an ordinary cylindrical tube, of a diameter to fit in the capping machine, may be used. The tube forming the subject matter of this application is intended to package caps of the circular disk type each having a tab or lug extending radially from its periphery to facilitate removal of the caps from milk bottles. Caps of this type require a tube having a cylindrical body of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the circular part of the cap, provided with a recess extending lengthwise of the body and parallel to the axis thereof to receive the projecting lugs and hold the caps in proper position for automatic feed on to the bottles handled by the capping machine.

Since these tubes are commonly made of cardboard, the provision of the lug receiving recess weakens the tube transversely, and permits distortion thereof. Distorted tubes will not fit the capping machines properly; and consequently will not permit proper automatic feeding of the cap to the bottles.

The main object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a cardboard tube for circular disk caps provided with projecting lugs, constructed to retain their shape throughout their shipment in package form and their use in a capping machine.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a tube constructed in accordance with the present invention, parts being broken away to illustrate details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a disk or cap of the type which the tube shown in Fig. l is designed to package and hold in proper feeding position in a capping machine.

As shown in the drawing, the tube comprises a sheet I of cardboard, or the like, spirally wound around and suitably secured to a similar sheet 2 to form a tube 3. The cylindrical tube thus formed, in the usual manner, is then pressed by any suitable means to form the recess 4 extending throughout the length of the tube to receive and form a guide for the lugs 5 on each of the disk caps 6 of the type shown in Fig. 3.

While the tube is held in the recess forming machine (not shown), a reinforcing strip 1 of paper, or other suitable material, is pasted over the outer surfaces of the recess 4, and for some distance along the outer cylindrical surface of the sheet I. These different layers of sheet material form veneer plies which materially strengthen the tube and aid in the retention of its shape.

In order to brace the projecting ridge 8 formed by the recess 4, a sheet of paper is pasted to the apex surface thereof, and is extended on opposite sides of the ridge to be pasted or otherwise secured to the cylindrical outer surface of the sheet I. The sheet 9 preferably covers about one half of the cylindrical surface of the tube, and is stretched during the securing operation to form the braces l0 and II.

The veneer construction just described enables the tubes to be formed very cheaply of comparatively thin sheets of cardboard or similar material. The outer layer, extending throughout the length of the tube, forms with the ridge 9 a truss which effectively prevents distortion of the tube, and ensures its proper location on the filling and capping machines.

What I claim is:

A self-sustaining tube, the major portion of which is cylindrical, the minor portion being in the form of a longitudinally extending crimp providing a groove on the interior of the tube and a ridge on the exterior thereof, a strip of reinforcing material secured to and extending around the said ridge and from the corners formed by said ridge along the outer surface adjacent said corners, and a second strip of reinforcing material secured to the apex of the reinforced ridge and extending from opposite sides of the ridge tangentially to the cylindrical outer surface of the tube to form therewith a truss construction to prevent distortion of the tube, said second strip being extended substantially beyond the lines of contact with said outer surfaces nearest to said ridge and having the parts so extended secured to said outer surface.

CHARLES R. BELK, SR. 

